Schools in Ontario could remain closed to in-person learning for the remainder of the academic year as the provincial government scraps a promise to reopen classrooms before the economy, CTV News Toronto has learned.
Sources say the government's planning and priorities committee made the initial decision on Monday not to reopen schools for the remaining weeks of June, including on a regional basis.
This goes against the advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams, local medical officers of health and the Ontario Science Advisory table. Sources say the government is concerned that several public health units would not be able to reopen due to case counts or outbreaks, and reopening schools could drive up transmission in those zones.
While the decision was made at committee, it still has to be finalized during a cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, and is subject to change. Schools have been closed for in-person learning since mid-April when the province announced they would be closed indefinitely due to skyrocketing COVID-19 transmission in the province.
Ontario is expected to enter the first phase of its reopening plan by June 14 and there have been calls to allow students to return to class before reopening the economy.
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